THE STABILOY® BRAND ADVANTAGE
UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF ALUMINUM
A LOOK AT THE ADVANTAGES OF ALUMINUM ALLOY OVER COPPER
Ever Wonder
Why There’s No Copper
in the Air?
Since the early 1900s, aluminum and aluminum alloy
conductor materials have been used by electrical utility
companies for the transmission of electrical power
within power grids across the country. In fact, over the
years, aluminum has largely displaced copper conductors
for these functions and has become the standard material
for use in power transmission and distribution.
If you’ve ever wondered why there’s no copper in the
air, it’s because aluminum is the superior choice in
every way. For starters, aluminum features twice the
ampacity per pound as copper. In addition, it’s lighter,
more flexible, and more corrosion-resistant. And it’s
much more cost-effective. As an example, if you’re
an electron going all the way from say, Denver to
Albuquerque, on the grid – you’re going to use the
aluminum power highway.
Thanks to a specially engineered aluminum alloy,
General Cable’s STABILOY Brand feeder and service
entrance cables now make it possible for commercial
and residential users to enjoy the same reliability and
economic advantages as power utilities.
Aluminum: Twice the Ampacity of Copper
Pound for pound, aluminum has twice the ampacity of
copper. This example proves it:
Consider these conductors: 500 kcmil aluminum alloy
and 350 kcmil copper.
The 350 kcmil copper and 500 kcmil STABILOY Brand
have the same allowable ampacity (in fact, the 350
kcmil copper and the 500 kcmil STABILOY Brand both
carry 310A at 75°C per the NEC®).
The 350 kcmil copper weighs nearly twice as much
as the 500 kcmil STABILOY Brand. A 350 kcmil copper
conductor weighs 1715 kg/km, whereas a 500 kcmil
STABILOY Brand conductor weighs 810 kg/km.
Now that’s the power of STABILOY Brand aluminum
alloy conductors!
500 kcmil
Aluminum Alloy
350 kcmil Copper
Conductivity
When it comes to conductivity, aluminum conductors carry twice the current per pound as copper conductors,
giving STABILOY® Brand aluminum alloy conductors a distinct performance advantage.
Insulation
STABILOY Brand aluminum alloy conductors feature
a superior cross-linked polyethylene (XPLE) insulation
that performs better in cold impact, wet locations
and long-term aging tests compared to other types of
conductors. This makes it a better insulation for every
building wire application.
Termination
STABILOY Brand aluminum alloy conductors terminate
safely with industry standard dual rated aluminum alloy
lugs. The similar metals connection eliminates thermal
expansion mismatch, which translates into a safe and
reliable termination.
Electrical Properties
Wire Type
THHN/THWN-2 –
Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
XHHW-2 – Cross-Linked
Polyethylene (XLPE)
Wire Insulation
Thermoplastic
Thermoset
Minimum Installation
Temp°C
-10°C (14°F)
-40°C
BEST
Emergency Overload
Temp°C
105°C
130°C
BEST
Maximum Short Circuit
Temp°C
150°C
250°C
BEST
Insulation Resistance after
12 wks (Meg Ω - 1000 ft.)
0.85
105,250
BEST
Quality + Performance = Confidence. It All Adds Up!
Quality
Performance
Confidence
It’s a fact. General Cable tests every foot
of every aluminum alloy feeder cable that
it manufactures. Because STABILOY Brand
aluminum alloy feeder cable is 100%
tested for quality – its reliability, durability
and safety are all guaranteed!
High-quality STABILOY Brand aluminum
alloy features a unique composition
of metals that is specially engineered
for superior performance in building
feeder applications.
You can rest assured. If aluminum is the utility
companies’ preferred choice for carrying
power all the way from the generator to
the grid, it’s the right choice for the last
100 feet of power delivery – feeder cable.
STABILOY Brand Aluminum Alloy:
Engineered for Superior Performance
STABILOY Brand Aluminum Alloy:
The Confident Choice
100% Tested
• Twice the ampacity of copper per pound
Alloy Composition
• Safer termination
Cu
Fe
Si
Mn
Mg
Zn
Cr
B
Ti
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
8030
• Iron (Fe) gives STABILOY Brand
increased tensile strength while
virtually eliminating creep
• Copper (Cu) gives STABILOY Brand
superior resistance stability at high
temperatures which improves the
connection reliability
• Magnesium (Mg) allows STABILOY
Brand connections to create a greater
number of contact points, ensuring
reliable connections
Superior Performance
Validated by Independent
Research: the Georgia Power
Research Laboratory*
The results of a Georgia Power study
show that connections installed on AA8030 aluminum alloy performed
as well as or better than connections
installed on copper conductors of equivalent ampacity in the current cycle
submersion test.
“Overall the maximum temperature
values, resistance stability values
and temperature stability values
were very close.”
*Georgia Power Research Laboratory, Project C94925, Aug 1995
• Better insulation
• Specially engineered for
superior performance
• Lighter, more flexible, easier to install
• More cost-effective than copper
Venetian Hotel
Las Vegas, NV
For Long-term Performance,
Trust STABILOY Brand
“As an experienced electrician for over
30 years, I was trained using EMT or Rigid
conduit and never considered any other
method. I have discovered that sometimes
change is a good thing. I was recently
introduced to STABILOY Brand MC Cable
and decided to give it a try. I now consider
STABILOY Brand MC Cable as my first
option. I have literally saved thousands of
dollars on labor and material using
STABILOY Brand MC Cable. Installation
is so much easier that I now use apprentice-level electricians for most of my Feeder
and Sub-feed installations. I am proof that if
a company wants to make a larger profit
on any project, you must consider
STABILOY Brand MC Cable first.”
Tom Metroyanis – Electrical Contractor
Over 30 years experience in the
electrical industry
Easy, Cost-Effective, Sustainable.
Ease-Of-Use
Value
Sustainability
STABILOY Brand aluminum alloy feeder
cable is much easier to install. Maintenance
for STABILOY Brand and copper is equal.
This makes it more time-efficient and more
cost-effective as well. For conductors of
equal ampacity, STABILOY Brand is:
At twice the ampacity per pound,
not only is aluminum more cost-effective
than copper, but the price of aluminum
is much more stable than the price
of copper. As every professional project
manager knows – stable pricing
means less risk.
Aluminum alloy is readily available
and infinitely recyclable. In addition,
STABILOY Brand aluminum alloy
conductors are manufactured in an
environmentally responsible manner.
• Lightweight – Weighs 50% less than copper
per pound
General Cable Design Software
• Flexible – 25% more flexible than copper
• Less Springback – 40% less springback
than copper
• Compact Stranded – STABILOY Brand is a
similar conduit fill as copper for amps delivered
This proven analytical software is
available from General Cable to help you
easily quantify the value of aluminum
alloy feeder cable on every job.
STABILOY Brand Aluminum Alloy
Conductor Metal is 100% Recyclable
• No Additional Maintenance – Not necessary
to periodically retighten connections
Proven To Save Up To 50%
In Total Installed Costs
DOLLAR SAVINGS
Comparison
of Total Feeder Installation Costs
$8,000
$6,000
$4,000
Installation
$2,000
Raceway
A building can be wired with
STABILOY Brand feeder cables
for about half the cost of installing
copper feeders
Cable
$0
STABILOY Brand Aluminum Alloy
is Environmentally Responsible
AL MC Cable
Cu Feeders in Conduit
Installation
Raceway
Cable Cost
Cost
Cost
• General Cable’s operations feature
reduced waste, emissions
and discharges
*Based on 100 ft. run of 750 kcmil AL MC Cable w/ 3/0 AL ground
vs. 500 kcmil Cu in 3” EMT w/#3 Cu ground
STABILOY Brand MC Cable is a UL® Listed,
metal clad assembly of phase-identified XHHW2 conductors and a bare equipment grounding
conductor.
Compared to an equivalent copper cable in a
4” EMT installation, STABILOY Brand MC Cable
yields a 50% savings.
STABILOY Brand MC Cable is an all-in-one
assembly offering fewer installation steps.
STABILOY Brand MC Cable only requires one
reel of cable per run versus up to five reels for
conductors in conduit. The strong, lightweight
aluminum alloy cable can bend around corners
and is not limited by the 360° rule, thus eliminating
the need for pull boxes and elbows.
Remove the risk of copper by using
the stable choice – STABILOY Brand
aluminum alloy
Quoting Copper Can Be Risky
You never know when the copper price
you quote will be lower than the price of
copper when you land the job. This eats
into profits. Aluminum prices are much
more stable than copper prices. As a
result, STABILOY Brand aluminum alloy
feeder cable offers you greater base
metal price stability, which means less
risk on every bid that you quote.
• STABILOY Brand contains no heavy
metals* and is RoHS compliant
• General Cable’s XHHW-2 insulation
provides a longer life than THHN/
THWN-2 insulation, thereby
extending the total life of the
installation and reducing waste
• General Cable’s cable jackets are free
of lead and cadmium stabilizers*
• STABILOY Brand aluminum alloy is
100% recyclable
*Denotes compliance to RoHS, Directive 2002/95/EC.
4 Tesseneer Drive, Highland Heights, Kentucky 41076-9753
GENERAL CABLE and STABILOY BRAND are trademarks of General Cable Technologies Corporation.
NEC is a registered trademark of the National Fire Protection Association.
©2013. General Cable Technologies Corporation. Highland Heights, KY 41076
All rights reserved.
Printed in USA
Phone: 855.720.2792
1.859.572.8000
Fax: 1.800.547.8249
www.stabiloy.com
Form No. BW-0058-1013